Poinsett State Park

The weekend of November 13 I visited Poinsett State Park. Heading east on 378 toward Sumter, turn south on 261 and drive about 6 miles to the park. State park fees are usually very reasonable, but there is no charge at all for this one. It features a nice network of trails, and I hiked the 1.5-mile Coquina trail that encircles an old mill pond. The trail is named for a type of naturally-occurring limestone made of broken seashells; the bathhouse, built in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corps, is made of coquina. It was a good hike, and I'd like to return and check out some of the other trails.

Greenville

The weekend of October 30 Donna and I made a day trip to Greenville, a city a couple of hours north of Columbia that we always enjoy visiting. We had a nice meal, enjoyed walking around the downtown area, and spent some time browsing around the Mast General Store, a must-see when visiting Greenville; it's a cross between an old timey general store and a modern outdoor recreation (hiking, camping, etc.) supply store. We recently got the very exciting news that they'll be opening a new location in Columbia sometime next year, and it'll be two blocks from my new office on Main Street!

There are seven small (about 3" in height) mice scattered around the downtown area, and it's always fun to stumble upon one. They're small, so they're easy to miss!


How cool is it to have a nice waterfall right in the middle of downtown?




Cool suspension bridge over the Reedy River.


Nice shot of Donna sporting her new rain slicker she'd just bought at Mast; she was needing one anyway, and the day was chilly with some drizzle, so it was the perfect day to get one.


My camera gives a green hue to lights in low-light situations, which actually makes for a pretty cool effect.

Riverbanks Zoo

On October 18 my company sponsored a day at the zoo, treating employees and our families to complimentary admission and to a nice catered lunch. I always enjoy visiting the zoo, and it was fun to bump into coworkers along the way and visit a bit outside of work and meet their families. A few photos from the day: